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What California is learning from solar panels built over irrigation canals

372 points · 744 comments · Jtsummers

  1. nbf_1995 · · focus · HN ↗
    It seems like it would be more effective to simply put all the solar panels in a field, and construct a cheap shade over the entire canal no? The supports in the picture are massive and don't look cheap. Also I would imagine the solar array uses more copper than a similar capacity array just built in a field. You can't daisy chain multiple miles of solar panels together, so you need an extra power line to run alongside the whole thing.

    Put the solar panels in a field: The solar array uses less copper. The shade supports don't have to hold up solar panels: Shade supports cost less.

    The best reasoning they give is that California has insane permitting requirements, and it takes 1/6 the time to build on developed land compared to undeveloped land.

    1. burnte · · focus · HN ↗
      > It seems like it would be more effective to simply put all the solar panels in a field, and construct a cheap shade over the entire canal no?

      No because now you're using land that could be used for other things, which is exactly what this avoids. This takes existing land that loses water and costs money, and makes it lose less water and make money.

      1. dietr1ch · · focus · HN ↗
        You are assuming that land is expensive and forgetting that building and maintaining panels over long a canal is harder than building over a large plot.
        1. asdff · · focus · HN ↗
          Harder but obviously not physically impossible either. From the image I can't imagine what the showstopper would possibly be. Technician on a little dinghy instead of a stepladder doesn't seem like a big deal. Presumably they make it where you can pull the panel off easily if you need to.
          1. s1artibartfast · · focus · HN ↗
            The showstopper is spending $1,000 of tax payer money for what could be accomplished with $10.
            1. asdff · · focus · HN ↗
              We are just making up numbers now
              1. s1artibartfast · · focus · HN ↗
                I haven't seen anyone cite the project costs, so I think we all are
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